Nine people have died and more than 720 people have been poisoned by mushrooms in western Iran, reported local media on Saturday 19 May.
According to the country's emergency services, 50 victims still remain in critical condition. Also, some of the patients need liver transplants.
Victims consumed the toxic mushrooms as they were unable to distinguish them from the edible ones, said the Yasuj University of Medical Sciences.
Also, the country's Ministry of Health said that the mushroom breakout happened after spring rain across the mountainous regions. The Authorities have also issued a warning, urging people not to eat or touch any unfamiliar mushrooms, according to rt.com.
Here are some tips to distinguish poisonous mushrooms:
The truth is that a layman cannot identify toxic mushrooms and no one should eat a mushroom until they are 100 percent sure of what it is.
However, white and thin gills on some mushrooms can indicate that they are harmful. Also, people should avoid mushrooms with a skirt or ring on the stem, according to wildfooduk.com.
A mushroom with a bulbous cap or sac around its base is most likely to be poisonous. Make sure you gently dig up the fungus as the base is often under the ground.
Avoid red mushrooms. By doing this, you might miss out on few good ones but it is better to be safe than sorry.
Look out for spores. Make sure you carry spore print as they are not visible in naked eyes. But again, avoid anything you are not sure about.
Also, some people might say that "mushrooms growing on wood are safe", "if other animals eating it, you can too" or "if you can peel the cap it is ok for consumption. However, these might not always be true.
